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Topic: Mobile WFO Questions (Read 1404 times)

As I mentioned in my intro email, I'm researching a mobile WFO business. I'm looking to start this in perhaps three or four years, probably as a part time side thing to start. I have a few newbie questions:

I've read the state laws (PA) regarding mobile food facilities. I understand that you can't prepare food in private homes, so I'm thinking I can buy pre-made frozen dough shortly before events and store it in a refrigeration unit on the trailer. This way I can avoid having to do any real food prep in an approved facility. Topping prep I can do on site before the event. Does this sound reasonable / any gotchas? (I would hope to someday do my own dough prep to make the product 100% my own.)

I located three foodservice companies in the area that carry dough. Do such companies normally deliver to homes and are they friendly to smaller businesses?

Would local (permanent location) pizza shops perhaps be interested in selling dough? I'm assuming that such a pizza shop wouldn't see my business as competition and would probably be interested in making a little revenue on the side.

Has anyone here had any experiences with licensing mobile WFOs in PA? Has it been difficult?

I have some uncertainty regarding licensing (though this is mainly specific to PA), the rules talk about mobile food facilities focusing mainly on full blown mobile units with walls, windows, ceilings, plumbing, etc., but don't say anything about open stands or trailers with tables and canopies. The application refers to "stick stands" which sounds like it would apply to what I'm considering doing. The application looks pretty simple for mobile operations, but the lack of specific rules for a canopy and trailer type operation concern me.

I understand that there are areas where the local municipality conducts the inspections and licensing instead of the state. I imagine this can get really interesting. I'm curious if anyone has had any quirks with local municipalities.